Behind Closed Doors
by theglamourfades
Summary: Getting ready is never a chore at the Edwards residence, especially not when it evokes some very happy memories. Kitty x Frank, set during 3.1 (so S3 spoilers).


**A/N: A continuation of that lovely 'bedroom scene' at the beginning of 3.1 (before they were so rudely interrupted) - just a lot of married-ness and some rather nice flashbacks...**

**Mr Selfridge doesn't belong to me.**

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Sharing a roof with her little sister had always provided its annoyances when they were growing up, but now they were all the more harder to bear. Of course, it wasn't the ideal situation for any of them, but Connie's plans to board with a couple of the other girls from the loading bay had fallen through – _rather conveniently_, Frank had suggested – and Kitty wouldn't see her baby sister scraping by. Connie had been just like her when she was the same age; desperate for some independence. It gave a better chance for it than if she were to stay living with their mother and father, and plus it was so much handier for work. It was just a shame that Connie had a habit of...wandering, and using the whole house as if it was her domain alone. This interruption hadn't been the first, and Kitty suspected that it wouldn't be the last, either. As yet she had at least timed her entrances when things hadn't been too compromising, and Kitty thanked her lucky stars for that. The awkward glances and rising heat of embarrassment exchanged between the trio were quite enough to deal with, and the occurrences were becoming far too common, if somehow more excruciating each time they were encountered.

Frank had been right of course in the principles he stuck to a little firmer each time; that it was their house - their names were on the tenancy, and more crucially, they paid for everything – so that gave them the right to do whatever they wished, wherever they wished. Especially in their bedroom, the most sacred place for the two of them. In her whole life she had always shared a room; with Connie at their parents' house, and then Doris before she moved out to be replaced by Grace. Sharing with a man was quite different, and it gave Kitty a greater thrill than if she were to have the luxury of owning a bedroom to herself, to be in such an intimate space with her husband.

_Her husband_. Using that word made her ridiculously giddy, even if she tried her best to remain sophisticated about it all on the surface. People certainly regarded her in a different light now, giving her a new level of deference that suited her title. She wasn't a mere shopgirl any longer, but a married woman with a burgeoning career (her very own department, no less) and a residence of her own. Of all those things it was being Mrs Edwards that she was most proud of. She was proud of being married to a fine and distinguished man who held himself well, with a profession that garnered much acclaim. She knew that some busybodies had quite the time talking about why it was they had ended up together, making such a serious commitment. He was getting on in years and wanted a pretty younger piece to hang from his arm, while she took advantage of the chances that would come to climb further up the ladder by being wed to one of Harry Selfridge's closest associates. It amused her, knowing that they would have the last laugh. Nobody but they knew of the true love that was between them, a love that perhaps took a little time to kindle but now burned in great flames in both of their hearts. They didn't flaunt their affections for one another openly, but they had no need to. Their union had been a modest affair, just over a year ago now, and they'd never known deeper joy than being brought together in name. Only except in the days that had come since.

_And the nights_, she considered. The thought brought a fresh blush to the arcs of her cheeks as she eyed herself again in the vanity, applicator still poised as her most reliable weapon between her fingers.

Connie's presence in the house had restricted their marital activities somewhat. There was nothing stopping them from occupying their bed and it was admittedly her favourite part of the day, to climb beneath the covers exhausted from busy shifts on the shop floor and curl herself into Frank's arms, taking in the musk of his scent and smiling as he started to pepper kisses upon the top of her head. It was a terrible test to restrain his kisses as they dipped to her lips, even more of a challenge when one of his palms slipped down to slide against the thin fabric of her nightgown, finding effortlessly the sensitive skin of her upper thigh. All at once he was above her, staring at her with eyes that burned, and somehow – with the volition of her own hands – the hem of her gown had risen considerably, to just past her stomach. She partly consciously let out a loud chorus of giggles while his hands and lips drifted to the bare skin there, knowing they'd be enough of a signal to deter any unwanted appearances. But giggling constantly was no good, putting a dampener on Frank's amorous intentions and distracting Kitty from the uninhibited sounds she would rather be making. She couldn't recall the last time she had been completely free to let go, tangling her painted fingernails into her husband's hair before drawing them helpless down his back, encouraging him with her breathless pleas, letting the walls sing with their shared ecstasy. The fact made her more frustrated and sadder than she cared to let on in her usually sunny demeanour.

There were no two ways about it. She meant what she had appeared to have said so casually; Connie would have to go, and soon.

The mood quickly lifted from moments previous, Frank's scowl having faded now she noticed his reflection once more in the mirror, wearing a light smile as he perched himself on the end of their bed. Kitty smiled in response, though she fretted that he might get the trousers of his morning suit crumpled by sitting there too long. She ran a careful hand over her tightly curled hair, pursing her scarlet lips with an audible pop before giving herself a reassuring stare and a nod straight ahead at her mirrored glance.

"All done," she chirped triumphantly, throwing a glance over her shoulder to where her husband looked quite visibly perturbed.

"Thank heavens, I was beginning to think we wouldn't see the light of day," he responded, the note of gentle teasing clear in his voice.

Kitty shook her head while a hint of the smile remained on her freshly made-up features. "I'm not as half as bad as others. I've known some girls to take twice as long as I do."

"So just from sunrise, then?" He caught short the grin that was about to erupt on his face when he registered the look she gave him, taking on a more humble expression while he rose to his feet once more, stuffing his hands into the pockets beneath his tails. "I don't know where you find the need. Having seen you without a scrap of make-up, I have to concede that you're quite entrancing either way."

His shameless flattery made her lift her eyes to the heavens, but at the same time it would always give her a kick. Despite what people thought of her perception of herself, she wasn't entirely happy with her appearance. She had been told by family friends and acquaintances more than once that she had something of a 'funny face', not helped by the fact that her features took on various expressive forms when she got het up about one thing or another. It had been almost unbearable for her to remove her make-up on the first nights spent alone with Frank, not wanting to look him in the eyes when he inevitably showed a little surprise, and perhaps even disappointment, at her bare countenance. As it turned out she was the one who was left surprised, very pleasantly so, when he greeted her with a smile that was even more enamoured than he had been previously. The shivers still ran through her when she remembered how he had sat down next to her, stroking his fingers over her cheek while his other hand held hers delicately, staring so deep into her eyes that she thought she might burst from the sheer adoration he was showing her.

"Well, even if we are guests, I'm still a representative of beauty at Selfridges so I can't be letting the side down," she announced with a flourish, her legs crossing and uncrossing as she adjusted herself on the chair to face him fully. Her pale eyes ignited with an excited spark. "And not to mention the people who will be there. Royalty, princesses, princes." A hand fluttered at the strand of her necklace as her voice raised a few octaves with each word spoken, her head tossing to the side. "I want to be seen to impress."

From the corner of her eye she noted the arch of his brows and the very faint way in which his trimmed back whiskers had started to twitch, a sure sign of his agitation.

"And why should you want to be impressing princes, my darling?"

She directed a slow, alluring smile towards him as she purposely and slowly lifted herself from her seat.

"It's all sales technique. You know that it makes good publicity, and if I can get one to pop into the store, then just imagine what that'll do."

As she padded the floor towards where he stood, she could see his lips gradually curving in a knowing smile and his head bowing.

"Plus, I want to get some recognition for your book. You never know who might know who." She beamed forth a winning dazzle, her true intentions coming straight from her heart. "I've got a good feeling that we might be very nicely surprised, and the phone will ring sooner than you think."

Her eyes rolled lightly as she lifted her left hand into the air, the faintest trace of light that had crept into the room making the gold band upon it gleam.

"And if anyone gets too close, I'll show them this," she flashed the sign of their bond with unabashed pride, "and they'll know they stand no chance whatsoever."

At the pause after her sentences, a full-blown grin broke upon his face, his eyes soft towards her. The air around them crackled with the sweetest kind of tension, a reminder of what had started to spark up keenly between them before they happened to have been interrupted. Kitty felt her stomach tighten as her husband's gaze dropped, running the length of her as she was still clad in her robe, settling back on her face after lingering glances. He exhaled a drawn-out breath, which somehow had an even greater effect on her.

"Always with a clever mind. Never just a pretty face," he muttered, apparently for his own benefit. The comment made her barely stifle a giggle, and his cheeks coloured as he noticed. He held out an arm tailored in a dark and elegant sleeve towards her. "Let me have a closer look."

She hesitated for a moment, rather wanting to tease him, enjoying reliving the times of their courtship when many a moment was spent trying to outdo each other in a battle of flirting. All too soon she relented – she could never resist the way he tipped his chin up to rake an approving look over her – and her stockinged feet were near toe-to-toe with his, the fingers of their hands threading lightly together so that the cool metal of her engagement ring brushed against his skin, sending a delightful chill dancing up his spine.

"Just as I expected," he drawled after studying her features closely in turn, his eyes being drawn away from her precisely painted and lusciously curved lips up to those pools of blue. "Absolutely exquisite."

She didn't make an attempt to hide her gratified smile, her heart thumping in double time against her chest. She'd always made the effort to look the very best she could, doing so for her own satisfaction more than anything else. The fact that the result – as well as the times that she hardly bothered at all – made her apparently irresistible to Frank was the most wonderful bonus.

His eyes flashed unmistakably as he drew closer to her in the next second, leaving hardly space for breath between them.

"Mrs Edwards," – he was not being fair at all, knowing full well what the use of her full official title uttered in his dulcet tones alone did to her – "I do believe we never got to satisfactorily finish what was started."

"Frank!" she pushed against his chest lightly with her palm, rocking back on her heels in a vague attempt to stop him from reaching her mouth. "It'll make a mess of my lipstick!"

He lifted his face momentarily, aiming a mischievous smirk towards her that made him appear positively boyish. He seemed to take her point on board before she could argue further. Kitty closed her eyes for a few seconds in silent victory, but found she was soon taken off guard when his lips landed squarely upon her neck. She gasped in several breaths as he pressed kiss after kiss to her skin, pressure increasing as he focused with more concentration, his hand inching the top of her robe aside just slightly to offer him more access to the expanse of her collarbone.

Thoughts flooded her mind along with the surge of sensation, of the very first time he had kissed her in just this way, worshipping the slope as if it were sacred. They both had a special weakness for it now and she felt the shiver cross her shoulder blades, losing grip rapidly along with the ability to stifle her growing moans. She blinked towards the door that remained firmly shut, biting her lip upon the kisses teemed at a tiny, particularly sensitive patch just to the left side above her throat.

Frank's smile was against his wife's skin, sweet and tempering with warmth. He inched his mouth up slowly as his hand cradled at her back, brushing the delicate curve where her beautiful face began, catching her cheek and then his lips plucked just so at the corners of her mouth, flitting back and forth in the most careful, tantalising dance. He teased the gentle sounds of satisfaction from her, driven ever so slightly wild by the fact he could feel rather than hear them, so incredibly close were they.

Kitty was cascading from the edge too, her hand grasping onto his wrist. Ever since, they had always been so in tune when it came to this, the often rapid escalation of their intimacies. Usually, neither would find it in themselves to stop, urging one another on with each kiss and caress. It was when Frank's fingers found the knot resting at her hip and made to deftly unfurl it did she regain her senses, just before it was too late for the both of them.

"Sorry," he breathed, resting his forehead for a moment against her shoulder before lifting to gaze full upon her. "Got carried away."

Looking into his eyes, she could see that he was nothing of the sort.

She let her laughter flow freely, scooting forth again on her toes, feeling with every fibre the way he watched her so keenly. Such adoration as he showed her she could never deny, and the happiness she spent every day within was more than she had ever really dared to consider could be in her possession, at least before she met him.

"You look so handsome, Mr Edwards," she smiled, her fingers dipping at his collar which had become a little less pristine following his pursuits. Mischief ran riot within her, considering how she might leave a bright red imprint of her lips upon the crisp whiteness in a place where it could be partially concealed. "Almost as much as on our wedding day."

Her features softened on the very second she remembered, every second coming back to her so precisely. The sunlight breaking through the late winter clouds to grace the early afternoon. Her dressed in the delicate satin blouse and jade skirt, him in a grey suit but with a tie to complement her colour scheme, specially selected from the store a few days previous. He had stared at her stunned for it seemed quite a while, and she thought perhaps she had overdone it with the cream rose pinned into her hair, a touch of elegance making the fiery flame shade demure for the day. He smiled at the sight of it and the sight of her, reaching his fingers out lingering towards it before stopping himself short. He was able to touch her properly when they were pronounced husband and wife and that seemed right somehow, his thumb running softly along her cheek, and the world had stopped to let them truly savour their first kiss as a married couple. The butterflies took flight in her stomach from the touch of their lips, never stopping while they walked from the registry office, a shining ring upon her finger, her husband on her arm and an immovable smile on her face.

A similar smile was pinned to his lips now, recalling the memories of that glorious day just the same.

"I'd rather we were doing it again than attending someone else's," he confessed, keeping his gaze on her as she continued to fuss, unable to resist curling one of her hands in his and bringing it to his mouth to place kisses on her skin that was softer than silk, the result of a beauty routine that never faltered, practising exactly what she preached. His lips caressed her fingers before he lifted them, a sharp breath escaping as he considered her so finely. "My god, you looked stunning, more than ever before. There is no doubt that I am the luckiest man on earth to have you as my wife."

Kitty's blush added a natural glow to her cheeks, rising above the hint of rouge she had dabbed on, gazing delightedly at Frank.

His hands swept around her waist, squeezing her hips softly.

"And then, of course," his voice had become decidedly raspy, just as it had been when he first sauntered into the room to find her, "we would have the pleasure of the wedding night again."

Her insides tightened glimpsing the delicious twinkle in his eyes, vivid memories eclipsing both mind and body. The whispered words, the tempting looks shared within the attic room of the inn. Embraces that began slow and lingering, allowing her to explore with more than just her excited eyes as he took off his jacket and let her remove his waistcoat. Pent up passion poured from the both of them, the movement of their lips entwined punctuating the glide of his palms over her, unveiling her. She had shuddered with anticipation and more than a touch of self-consciousness as the backs of her legs found the bed. Her bare skin became clothed again, this time with Frank's heated gaze and then by his gentle kisses all over, fitting perfectly to each contour of her body and setting her gradually alight with the ardour he was showing. So many times she had imagined what it might be like when it happened, tried to conjure the sensation of his lips in places other than upon her lips. Now she was very aware that her fantasies had been a poor comparison. She whimpered and shivered more with each touch of them upon her, feeling his body against hers, closer than they'd ever been.

Her hands were burning as she placed them on his shoulders, finding his eyes again as he rose above her, the sheets barely covering them both. She had smiled up at him as he reached to cup her face, desire and years of longing and the faintest trace of fear being met and conquered by the adoring look in his eyes.

"I love you, Kitty," she remembered that instance above every other, uttered faithfully as he caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "So very much." She sighed with the small, sweet kiss he sealed upon her lips. "Trust me, my darling."

She kept her gaze firmly locked with his as he moved slowly into place at her hips, putting her trust in him completely. "I love you too, Frank," she said with all the conviction that had resided in her heart for so long, matching his gasp with her own as their two selves were made one in the sweetest moment.

The rest of their honeymoon brought a world of discovery, for them both, as they truly began to understand each other, even after so many years of courting and enjoying one another's company. They barely left the bed and one another's arms for the first two days. _There's so much I want to show you_, he whispered in her ear before kissing the same place_. _She rather enjoyed knowing that they had the rest of their lives, though she wasn't complaining about finding out whatever she could in the space of a week. She laughed faintly as he flipped her onto her back again, sighing at the stream of kisses he left flowing from below her breasts down to her stomach. Her breath held as he sought lower, bristling happily when the hair of his whiskers tickled against the seam of her thighs and not moments later crying aloud in ecstasy as before unencountered.

Some time later, after the earthquake subsided at the centre of her being, she covered his face with kisses, her hands roaming the plains of his strong body. She never thought so much bliss was reachable, but then again she'd never known anything else, except a number of recurring dreams she felt partly scandalous for having. It was childish of her, but she couldn't stop the sting of jealousy she felt realising that she wasn't the only woman he had shared himself with. He sighed against the crook of her neck, arms circled around her waist keeping her held to him. His hair was all out of place, a kink of a wave settled over his forehead. He hadn't been a saint in the past, far from it. She pouted a little at the admission she had known to be true. Her eyes stayed on him as he raised her hand, trying and failing not to let her joy show while he kissed his way up her arm. The expression he wore was sincere and even rather solemn as he looked into her eyes and told her that nobody else came anywhere close. A kiss pressed over the golden circle adorning her hand confirmed it, signalling their unparalleled promise and igniting the spark once more. He chuckled throatily when she retorted with more than a bit of cheek that she didn't mind about who or what had gone before, so long as it meant she reaped the rewards. And then, with it all forgotten, they were back against the sheets again, perfectly aligned.

The sleeve of her robe rolled up beneath his fingers, he had taken to revisiting that time just as fervently in the present. Kitty stood on increasingly weak legs in the middle of the room, letting out a small squeak of disappointment when Frank's lips left her, relenting as he reached the pulse point at her wrist. He circled the place lightly with his fingers instead, smiling as he lowered her arm gently to rest back at her side.

"Best leave you to it," he stepped away from her, eyes smiling just as much as his lips. "Let me know if you need any help with anything."

A burst of irritation coursed in her veins, nothing compared to the raw need she felt at that very moment in time. Her husband was always so adept at bringing her to the very brink, doing little more in the way of assisting her this morning before they were brought to a halt. She loved the smirk on his face, maybe only a touch more than wanting to kiss it away. It was high time for her to turn the tables.

"Frank?" she trilled sweetly, hands on her hips as he turned swiftly back towards her. "I don't think _I'm _the one who needs help. Your tie looks a state."

His brows arched in disbelief before he followed the point of her finger downward, ascertaining the damage that was evident for himself.

Kitty half-tutted and half-giggled at his shame-facedness, bidding him closer with the curl of her fingers. "Come here."

He always appreciated her honesty, a slow smile on his face as he made his way back to her maddeningly slowly. She was having none of his games, however, being his equal in every sense of the word, more so now that they were married.

His mouth curved in appreciation when her fingers threaded at the silk of his tie, eyes pinning to her face as she worked with concentration. In the next second rather than minute she moved quickly, and his surprise was genuine when she seized upon the garment, pulling it free from his waistcoat and pulling his lips firmly to hers. Her mouth was already parted and he let out a groan of satisfaction as she took the lead, warm and unbearably soft and welcoming him with every frantic caress. There was finesse, though, the kind that was delectably and unmistakably Kitty. She had never needed teaching; indeed, she'd made him discover things within himself that he was never aware existed. Her hand was now threaded into the hair at the back of his head, her figure pressed up against him as their kisses grew all the more intense and longer in duration. Even clothed – her, barely – he felt the sizzle of electricity remembered by the brush of her bare skin against his and, God help him, it was going to prove too much.

He was about to return her efforts doubled with desire, his hand still grasping her waist when she broke away, gasping for breath, glowing and smiling fiercely, the fire he adored burning in her eyes. Frank was aware that his cheeks were flaming, his hair ruffled by her fingers and his lips feeling almost bruised, such was the passion that his wonder of a wife had displayed. He noticed that her lipstick had evaded smudging, remaining perfectly in place, and shook his head at the lack of logic about it. Then again, it made perfect sense.

There was a tug upon her hand that made her smile triumphantly, his hand rubbing at the fabric that covered her hipbone as he whirled her back to his side.

"I might have to grovel to Harry for months, but I think we should seriously consider skipping today," he rasped, his fingers moving slowly down her side. "I've no idea how I'm going to make it through the day without giving you more than a peck on the cheek." Their foreheads rested together, both still composing themselves. "Not after that."

She pursed her lips into a smile, tracing her thumb over the arc of his jaw, kissing the spot beneath his ear lightly and just a little teasingly.

"Be patient, Mr Edwards," she whispered in his ear, running her fingers down from where his tie had been tucked back into place to the buttons holding his jacket together. "There'll be more later on, I promise you."

She saw that he looked uncertain, as much as he wanted to believe her. She left him with a greater affirmation, careful not to elicit too much with the kiss that was restrained but just as much a sign of love.

"We could sneak back early," she suggested with a delicious smirk of her own, met with his approval, "or, stay out very late. Did I tell you that Connie is a heavy sleeper? Not even the end of the world would be likely to wake her up."

"That, Mrs Edwards," he kissed the tips of her fingers lightly, sending shivers up and down her spine, "might be the best news I've heard all year."

They shared a smile and then several bursts of laughter, precursors to the day they were to spend in fine company, presenting themselves to the world as husband and wife for yet another happy time.

Even happier times would take them both later, in the privacy of their room, their own kingdom, where promises were kept to the very best degree.

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**A/N: Partly inspired by this: "****Imagine your OTP getting ready for a formal event. Person A's tie isn't tightened enough and Person B fixes it for them. Then Person B pulls Person A by the tie in for a kiss and, just as it's starting to get good, smirks and mutters that they have to leave. Person A is left with ruffled hair, red cheeks and a whispered promise of more in their ear." (it totally happened...)**


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